ScaleNet: Scale Insects (Coccoidea) Database

The objective of this database is to provide comprehensive information on the scale insects (Coccoidea) of the world, of which there are about about 7,800 species. Scale insects vary dramatically in their appearance from very small organisms (1-2mm) that occur under wax covers (some look like oyster shells), to shiny pearl-like objects (about 5mm), to creatures covered with mealy wax. They spend most or all of their lives feeding on plants and are primarily important as plant pests in greenhouses, backyards, and on fruit trees.
Scale insects damage millions of dollars worth of food, ornamental, fiber and greenhouse crops each year. Until ScaleNet, information about the pests was buried in thousands of scientific journals and books, making it difficult for the average person to locate.
The Agricultural Research Service developed ScaleNet with colleagues in Israel and Canada. It will allow anyone to locate every scale insect that experts over the centuries have found and named.
Through keyword searches and other queries, ScaleNet provides comprehensive information including the insects' biology, classification, naming history, distribution, plant hosts, economic importance, controls and scientific literature about them.
Currently, information can be retrieved for 49 families, namely Aclerdidae (grass scales), Albicoccidae, Arnoldidae, Asterolecaniidae (pit scales), Beesoniidae, Burmacoccidae, Callipappidae, Carayonemidae, Cerococcidae (ornate pit scales), Coccidae (soft scales), Coelostomidiidae, Conchaspididae (false armoured scales), Dactylopiidae (cochineal scales), Diaspididae (armoured scale insects), Electrococcidae, Eriococcidae (felt scales), Grimaldiellidae, Grohnidae, Halimococcidae, Hammanococcidae, Inkaidae, Jersicoccidae, Kermesidae (gall-like scales), Kerriidae (lac scales),
Kukaspididae, Kuwaniidae, Labiococcidae, Lebanococcidae, Lecanodiaspididae (false pit scales), Lithuanicoccidae, Marchalinidae, Margarodidae (ground pearls), Matsucoccidae (bast scales), Micrococcidae, Monophlebidae, Ortheziidae (ensign scales), Pennygullaniidae, Phenacoleachiidae, Phoenicococcidae (date scales), Pityococcidae, Pseudococcidae (mealybugs), Putoidae, Rhizoecidae, Serafinidae, Steingeliidae, Stictococcidae, Stigmacoccidae, Weitschatidae, and Xylococcidae.
The Reference database of ScaleNet includes about 25,000 references, the majority of which have been published since Linnaeus (1758). However, it also contains several pre-Linnean publications that are relevant to the nomenclature and systematics of the Coccoidea. Funding information to 2015: Originally ScaleNet was funded by United States-Israel Binational Agricultural Research and Development Fund (BARD) (Grant Numbers IS-2423-94 and IS-2605-95). Additional funding was supplied by the Systematic Entomology Laboratory to fund an additional computer, and two contracts to enter bibliographic information. The Agricultural Research Service of the USDA provided funding for a technical information specialist. Future grant funding to sustain ScaleNet to be added when available.

本数据库旨在全面收录全球介壳虫总科（Coccoidea）昆虫的相关信息，目前已知该类群约有7800个物种。介壳虫的外观差异显著：从体型仅1-2毫米、被蜡质覆盖（部分个体外观类似牡蛎壳）的小型类群，到约5毫米大小、光泽如珍珠的形态，再到体表覆盖粉状蜡质的类群。它们一生的大部分或全部时间都以植物为食，在温室、庭院及果树中多作为植物害虫而受到重视。

介壳虫每年会造成价值数百万美元的粮食、观赏植物、纤维作物及温室作物损失。在ScaleNet问世之前，这类害虫的相关信息分散在数千篇学术期刊与专著中，普通用户难以检索获取。

美国农业研究局（Agricultural Research Service）与以色列、加拿大的同行合作开发了ScaleNet。该平台可让用户检索到数百年来专家发现并命名的所有介壳虫相关信息。

通过关键词检索及其他查询方式，ScaleNet可提供全面的相关信息，包括该类昆虫的生物学特性、分类地位、命名历史、分布范围、寄主植物、经济重要性、防治手段及相关学术文献。

目前，该数据库可检索的类群涵盖49个科，分别为：Aclerdidae（草介壳虫科）、Albicoccidae、Arnoldidae、Asterolecaniidae（坑介壳虫科）、Beesoniidae、Burmacoccidae、Callipappidae、Carayonemidae、Cerococcidae（饰纹坑介壳虫科）、Coccidae（软介壳虫科）、Coelostomidiidae、Conchaspididae（假盾介壳虫科）、Dactylopiidae（胭脂介壳虫科）、Diaspididae（盾介壳虫科）、Electrococcidae、Eriococcidae（毡介壳虫科）、Grimaldiellidae、Grohnidae、Halimococcidae、Hammanococcidae、Inkaidae、Jersicoccidae、Kermesidae（瘿状介壳虫科）、Kerriidae（紫胶介壳虫科）、Kukaspididae、Kuwaniidae、Labiococcidae、Lebanococcidae、Lecanodiaspididae（假坑介壳虫科）、Lithuanicoccidae、Marchalinidae、Margarodidae（地珠介壳虫科）、Matsucoccidae（韧皮介壳虫科）、Micrococcidae、Monophlebidae、Ortheziidae（旗介壳虫科）、Pennygullaniidae、Phenacoleachiidae、Phoenicococcidae（椰枣介壳虫科）、Pityococcidae、Pseudococcidae（粉介壳虫科）、Putoidae、Rhizoecidae、Serafinidae、Steingeliidae、Stictococcidae、Stigmacoccidae、Weitschatidae、Xylococcidae。

ScaleNet的参考文献数据库收录了约25000条文献，其中大部分发表于林奈（Linnaeus，1758）之后。不过，该数据库也收录了若干与介壳虫总科命名及系统分类相关的林奈时期前的出版物。

截至2015年的资助信息：ScaleNet最初由美以双边农业研究与发展基金（United States-Israel Binational Agricultural Research and Development Fund，BARD）资助（资助编号为IS-2423-94与IS-2605-95）。此外，系统昆虫学实验室为购置额外计算机及录入书目信息的两份合同提供了资金支持。美国农业部（USDA）下属的农业研究局为一名技术信息专员提供了经费。未来若获得可维持ScaleNet运行的新资助经费，将另行更新相关信息。

搜集汇总

背景与挑战

背景概述

ScaleNet是一个全面的介壳虫（Coccoidea）数据库，涵盖约7,800种介壳虫的生物学、分类、分布及寄主植物等信息，旨在整合全球介壳虫研究数据，便于科研和公众查询。